Or switch to grade 5 nuts and bolts and never worry about it again.
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Do you have a link for these?
Nope. I pick them up at our local rural king farm store. Search grade 5 bolts
All Im seeing is steel for the nuts. Don’t we want those in grade 5 brass?
It is a steel nut and bolt.
Sounds like a great way to have bolt seize.
Brass is purposely used as a dissimilar metal that will resist seizing with steel bolts. I’m also less than sure about using some random untested bolts on an expensive, certified extractor.
replace your brass nuts, they’re cheap as shit.
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It’s the same shit we use on tractors and heavy machinery, but ok…
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you absolutely don’t want them seizing. however, stuck closed is generally considered safer than leaking or taking the operator out because the nut failed.
it’s an important discussion, and we’ve had it before.
- The Death of Horatio
- Stainless steel nuts?
- Help finding brass nut supplier
- Don’t forget to check your nuts!
- Boo!
(non-exhaustive list…)
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@Dr.stanky why not use grade 8 bolts ? I was talking about this with a friend . My only issue of concern is if they are able to withstand the temperature changes that we regularly cycle them through . Not sure how it would handle being -40c then being hit with hot vapor assist at 80F . Metallurgy is complex stuff and I am constantly still learning about it still . I think everything we use is purpose built and you go around and start swapping stuff their may be other variables that come into play that could make things unsafe . Using fresh gaskets professional inch pound torque wrench and fresh nuts and bolts would be the best bet in my opinion. If you are running your machine 5-7 days a week you need to incorporate routine maintenance on all nuts based off how often said clamp is removed
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nay, we borrowed “tri-clamp” from the dairy industry…those clamps and nuts were absolutely not designed for the treatment/use cases they get from us. rated for? sure. designed for? Meh.
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The grade 5 will withstand the temp fluctuations no problem. Same nuts and bolts on my unit for about 5 years now.
What I think folks don’t think about is what happens when one of those brass nuts blows it’s threads out mid run on your collection pot. Ever tried to remove the stripped nut and the bolt and replace them while your unit leaks everywhere? I have…
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Yeah I have always changed them out before they strip . I have had employees over torque them and crack them before . I am more worried about a clamp shooting off and killing someone or permanently injuring someone . It is scary stuff just trying to brainstorm and wrap my head around this . So the only reason we use brass/ bronze is so the nuts do not seize on the bolts ? I thought their had to be more variables then this . If you just had a leak because of a failed nut and had to swap that is pure luck imagine a 6” tri clamp busting off and hitting you in your noggin at 50psi might not be able to bounce back from that one . I will most likely just switch nuts . What about the actual bolt itself any issue with those or is it just the nut . I just want to be as safe as possible . Right now I just routinely change all nuts and bolts
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What’s the worst that happens if a nut seizes? You cut it off after your run is done in a safe environment, right?
The list of possible bad shit that happens when a nut strips is much longer.
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This also works
Lol just run bronze nuts bro. They’re Hella cheap. On parts that get removed and tightened frequently I even double nut it incase I need to tighten the clamp a little more. Metal is extremely brittle at subzero temps. Also if your nut is seized and your clamps starts leaking you won’t be able to tighten the bolt at all.
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This might be perfect. Thanks!
One reason I see for using brass is that it’s softer than steel. So, it’ll deform more readily that stretching threads. Replacing nuts often is just part of maintenance and easy.